Bechstein B hammer rake / more thoughts

[A440A at aol.com]

I wrote: 

>> I have seen numerous Steinways from the '60's that required the hammers be

    this high to prevent having a unworkable keydip. >>

Ric asks: 
<< 

I'm curious to know more about the specifics. On the surface of it it 

would seem possible to refit the action so that hammers in rest position 

were at or just below flange tops.<<

       It wasn't too much trouble to correct, involving longer ratio shanks 
and longer bored hammers, plus a slight raising of the stack.   I think these 
are cases where the combination of plate height and action height were both at 
the ends of their allowable tolerances and the combination with the small 
teflon parts required it.  The 60's vintage actions in the STeinways were often 
really screwy, and it is always a joy to get those things in for total 
replacement with better geometry.
Regards,  
 
Ed Foote RPT 
http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html
www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html
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